United in Blood

United in run, if that was the spirit of yesterday's 'Run for Unity' (could upload a post on it here: Link), united in blood was the phrase uttered by a young blood donor in a conversation soon after the donation.

There are series of activities going on in IIT Kharagpur campus to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel in these two days (31-10-2014 and 01-11-2014, FRI and SAT). Patel Hall of Residence that is named after Sardar Patel, besides other program arranged a blood donation camp today. There was another such camp organized by NCC at Technology Students Gymkhana. The target had been to collect 150 units from Patel Hall and 100 units from Gymkhana.

I may say that I had the opportunity of attending blood donation camps organized by NSS, NCC before. This time,wanted to spend more time in Patel Hall to see how it is organized when students of an undergraduate hall takes the lead. There were other reasons too but let it be left to guess work of the readers (Hint: Some connection with this Hall and...). In the morning, attended a training program on Self-defence organized by NSO Health and Fitness team. A post on this is uploaded a short while ago here (Link).

Coming back to how the blood donation camp went, if it looked more like a festival, we can leave it to visuals. The seven part video series mostly contains the blood donation camp activities at Patel Hall. At the end, had a brief visit to NCC organized camp at Gymkhana.

Part I of the video series shows the preparatory work done since the arrival of the blood bank team. This may give a feel of the start-up activities to would-be organizers of blood donation camps.

Part II shows how it get started by following up first few donors in the queue. Their and others' interview appears in Part VII of this series.

Part III shows the donation activities going on in full swing.

Part IV shows the continuous stream of donors and their enthusiasm and spirit, making it look more like a festival.

Part V shows the blood donation camp going on in parallel at Gymkhana premises and also a short take of Professor Lt. Col. Raju who was in lead of that camp.

Part VI shows a conversation with the organizing team of Patel Hall which is followed up by wardens speaking their mind. There is an indication of what we can expect in future. Feeling great!

Part VII shows what had been the motivation of some of the donors when I could get into a conversation with them soon after their donation of blood. This series would never be complete without listening to these young hearts. It is sure to serve as motivation to those who are yet come out of their inhibition in donating blood. One cannot but be moved by the great enthusiasm and spirit shown by them and many of them had been first time donors in these camps.

Some images of the blood donation:

Finally, the smiles say it all - feel proud of them and all who came forward!

Being Taught

We can give ourselves all the excuses for not doing what we wished we would have done. And there is no dearth of excuses either. But when a student comes to us, there is no choice but to shake-off the inertia and keep aside all those excuses. By inertia, I mean - inertia of motion and NOT inertia of rest, Mind It! - in the Rajani style :-)

About 10 days back, a 3rd year UG student came to me at the end of a lecture class. Though I ask many times if anyone has any difficulty to follow and not to feel shy about it, there may be few who would prefer one-to-one discussion to clear any doubt. But this time, the attention was sought for a different reason. "Sir, many students here follow your blog or facebook postings. Could you please share one of our effort that aims to serve the society? If you do, then it will reach out to many." 

I requested him to send the material. Always wondered if what I scribble here or share in facebook are having overtones that may not be a big draw for general audience. Watching 'Two States', 'Bang-Bang' or 'Haider' does not necessarily make one contemporary or understand general psyche of today's youth. Heard from our cinema projection team that the student show of 'Haider' was more than full-house - even the stair-cases were not spared. The other occasion when I got little off-balance years back was an IEEE student symposium. In that,  at the end of my introduction that ran through my CV, there was an additional reference to me as a 'blogger.'

The adjoining facebook conversation says it all. The effort of this student group tries to come up with a database of voluntary blood donors. One can enroll oneself by filling-up this online form (KGP BloodConnect). One can also give suggestion to the young team to help them deliver better and I may add, a word of encouragement would motivate them a lot. 

In coming up with this post, found that the previous 'Teacher's Day 2014' post (Link) was remaining half-done for more than a month now. Completed it with Sept. date stamp. Without that the Sept. field would have gone empty! The month Sept. gave us opportunity to get taught by teachers where the teaching was delivered outside classroom. We had host of guest speakers at IIT Kharagpur speaking about what they learnt from life about life. The following videos may please be considered as return gifts to that section of students who teach us virtues of what we do and enhance our self-belief!! The video description describes the speaker and the occasion.

Swami Suddhidananda on 11th Sept., 2014 during Chicago Day celebration:

Prof. Ajoy K. Roy on 16th Sept., 2014 during Hijli Martyr's Day celebration: 

Director, IIT Kharagpur; Sri Chandrasekhar Ghosh, founder of Bandhan; Smt. Subhashini Mistry, founder of Humanity Hospital on 9th Sept., 2014 during Teacher's Day celebration of IITTA:

Teacher's Day 2014

Yes, it could be viewed as misfit, a gross misfit - to write a post on 25th Sept. early morning with such a title when A. R. Rahaman's composition of "Ayi Giri-Nandini Nandita-Medini Vishva-Vinodini Nandi-Nute" (Link) is played out from the sound box. No, I was not waiting for MoM to get into Mars orbit (Link) either. I simply was trying to find my little space in this vast universe!

Last Wednesday morning I woke up in time to go to field for this activity (Link). But got occupied in answering a mail that was an overnight draw. This field activity is from 5:30 AM to 6:30 AM. The replying took me past 6:00 AM. And I gave the activity a go. When the family woke up to find me on bed there was a great pandemonium. Her Highness was extremely worried, "Are you having health problem? Why didn't you go to field?" I did not tell her that I have handed over the charge this semester-beginning but kept going so that new Coordinator has an experienced person beside him till he gets settled. I tried my best to explain that health was doing fine and simply did not feel like going. Came the prompt answer, "I have seen you for long. You are not the type to stay away from duty like that. You must be concealing your health problem. Please tell us." I had no option to disclose that I was no more officially attached to this program, and thought that she would feel relieved that I could reduce one of my responsibility. But worry seemed to get larger. With unpleasantness painted all over the face she asked, "You must have taken a bigger responsibility to leave this one. Please note that it is the family who have to look after of you if you fall ill ........fg%^&vbjB..."

But we have our day - Teacher's Day, marked for us! In local South Side School, a get-together of retired teachers of nearby Govt. Schools is arranged on this day. While passing by that school, heard one teacher who retired this year crying as he won't be any more part of that atmosphere and others were trying to console him. Together with some IIT Kharagpur students attended the day's function in a village high school which was known for participation in freedom movement and the self-sufficiency targeted after the independence. Our research lab. students made us feel special like every year! A Bengali play of Rabindranath Tagore was staged by UG students at Kalidas Auditorium. And there was 2nd half lab. as usual for a Friday! Attended inaugural function of cell-filled concrete based road-making technology transfer cum training program for engineers of Uttar Pradesh arranged by Civil Engineering Dept. after the afternoon UG lab.

That was Teacher's Day 2014 - a day in a life of a person like me, living it to its full!  Certain visuals of the day follow.

Reaching out:

Inauguration of Technology Transfer cum Training Program:

The Function at Lab.:

The Function at Kalidas Auditorium:

Independence

Vidya, the five year old came to the campus on Wednesday evening with her parents. It was drizzling when they were to return. Vidya was having fun while parents were arranging rain cover for the scooter ride. Interestingly, they did not look worried about what would happen if it starts raining heavily. They had to travel to a place called Subhaspally, 6-7 KM from IIT Kharagpur campus. The father works in Govt. service in Karnataka, the mother is a homemaker.

Today afternoon our family went to meet and greet Medha, the six months old in her first rice ceremony. Vidya had some issue on why all gifts from guests were meant for the sister. The whole family of Vidya and Medha - parents, uncle, aunt, grand parents were full of joy. Medha too obliged all guests and did not treat them as strangers, was comfortable in our lap too. In a lighter mood we told the parents that we may ask when we make a telephone call, "Connect to Vidya" or "Connect to Medha" whenever we have any disconnect with our own Vidya or Medha! The gathering had old pals with whom I spent my younger days of Sanga Chhadhhang, Sang baddwadhang and weekly study-circles. My daughter was caught off-guarded once in this gathering on her Math. lessons. This is when one came to us and after exchange of greetings told my daughter that he scored poorly in Math. in Class VIII and then joined the 'Free Coaching Centre' that we used to run and learnt Math. from me.

Had fun! Environment was excellent! Second daughter - but it is not an issue for the family unlike what we hear elsewhere so much so that the Prime Minister of India needs to refer to it in his Independence Day speech. "Have we seen our sex ratio? Who is creating this imbalance? Not God. I appeal to the doctors not to kill the girl child in the mother's womb. I request the parents not to kill daughters because they want a son. Don't kill daughters in the womb, it is a blot on 21st century India. I have seen families where one daughter serves parents more than five sons. (Link)"  The names Medha and Vidya show how much the parents value education themselves and for their daughters.

Some days before one student asked me to forward a letter to be given to security section where the persons named in the letter can issue key to work on weekends. What came as sweet surprise and was somewhat unusual in this letter brought by her, is that girls were in majority in the list. In last two years, girls outdid the boys in joining as research students in our lab. The trend is there in other research lab.s too and in the institute as a whole. This increase put a challenge to our infrastructure and major steps have been taken to increase the number of accommodation for girl students.

General to more specific. Got one mail from a PhD aspirant months back. She could not be shortlisted in our Dept. due to some reason at her end but was shortlisted in another Dept. She was coming for interview and wanted to talk to me. It was educative for me to know her life's struggle. Father died early. She studied hard and did well to earn free studentship that includes engineering and completed MTech. Now she wants to pursue PhD but the mother wants her to join a high paying PSU job she got from campus and get married. Her brother is still studying. She requested another six months from the mother. And if she does not get admission in a PhD program of her choice in an IIT within that time she would take up job. The determination I saw in her made me see what was in store and I encouraged that day and later through email reply. She did well in test and joined as a PhD scholar. I was not surprised when there was a 'Thank You' visit some weeks back.

Facebook brought some distant relatives closer. She is one of our very distant relative and the relationship is so hierachical and family-tree based that I am 'Grandfather' of her who is about 20 years younger to me. Once a year we used to meet in our family function of worship of goddess 'Kali - the Mother' in our ancestral place. Kali worship used to take whole night. On the sideline, I used to conduct quiz, mental Math. for all children gathered. We used to have about 250 family members gathered in one place in this annual function. And this 'granddaughter' of mine used to be very prompt in answering.

Elsewhere I have mentioned that how our family had to struggle to get settled here at the partition of India during Independence (Link). The larger family took different number of generations to come to terms where basic needs could be addressed easily. This granddaughter belonged to such a branch of the tree who are yet to come out of the worry of 'what and how'. She completed graduation and prepared for banking service examination. She did very well in exam. for Probationary Officer (P.O.) selection and there came the time when results were to be published. She was so confident that she did not join another Govt. job of lower position that she got few months back.

But appointment letter was not coming! Did she make a mistake not to accept the other job? Is it going back to the days of despair after the ray of hope that could change their lot? She used to write occasionally, worried - some from their batch got appointment letter while she had not etc. Once she wrote that it is not Postman, she is looking at appearance of God with appoinment letter in hand in the doorway. I asked her to study Vivekananda and not to give up. Used to share how we overcame challenging times.

And then came the time. After joining as P.O. she wrote after few weeks that she wants to devote a part of her for the society and social cause and asked suggestion. The desire in her message "Ami kicchu korte chai (I want to do something)" showed the same strong determination. The attached "God has a bigger plan for me than I have for myself" is from her facebook wall.

And, may I say that I have heard the voice of  Independence?

Endnote: Vivekananda said, "Freedom is the song of the soul." To listen to the song of the soul or voice of independence, there may require a no-abandoning voice of care. One such voice was picked up on Saturday in NSS, IIT Kharagpur conducted medical camp (Link). Please listen to it. The conversation may be in Bengali, but the language of love is always understood.

This is where

"This is the day when it began. This is where it all began." We heard Director, IIT Kharagpur starting his Foundation Day speech this way yesterday. Before proceeding further, let me acknowledge that this post is  going to be a highly 'plagiarized' one :-) with many copy - paste material. The reason - the more I write myself, the more I'll dilute the original. And, hence.

We had Independence Day celebration and Foundation Day celebration in a space of four days. On Independence Day, the unfurling of National Flag was followed by Independence Day speech. Let me quote a part of it.

On this auspicious occasion, we pay our respectful homage to our countrymen who sacrificed their lives and earned this freedom. The freedom thus earned, is the job completely done? Should we then sit complacent with this or look ahead?

I understand that what we have is only physical freedom and what we should be aiming is internal and spiritual freedom as well.  

One may gain political and social independence, but if one is slave to his passions and desires, one cannot feel the pure joy of real freedom. Our aim now should be to move towards this real freedom.

Everything that we perceive around us is struggling towards freedom. When the line of action taken is not proper one, we call it evil; and when the manifestation of its proper and high, we call it good. But the impulse is the same, the struggle towards freedom. The saint is oppressed with the knowledge of his condition of bondage, and he wants to get rid of it; so he worships God. The thief is oppressed with the idea that he does not possess certain things, and he tries to get rid of that want, to obtain freedom from it; so he steals.

The freedom which the saint seeks is very different from that which the robber seeks; the freedom loved by the saint leads him to the enjoyment of infinite, unspeakable bliss, while that on which the robber has set his heart only forges other bonds for his soul. 

A video of this speech is available in the video player below. Full text of the speech can be found here (Link). This reminds me a Vivekananda quote, "Bold words and bolder deeds are what we want. Awake, awake, great ones! The world is burning with misery. Can you sleep? Let us call and call till the sleeping gods awake, till the God within answers to the call. What more is in life? What greater work?"

And don't we take this pledge here every year on 15th August morning (Link)?

In this solemn morning, when our people by their suffering and sacrifice, have secured freedom and become masters of their destiny, we do dedicate ourselves to the service and welfare of India, to the end that this ancient land attain its rightful and honored place in the world, and makes its full and willing contribution to the promotion of world peace and welfare of mankind. May we have the strength to hold high the banner that has been entrusted to us, and the devotion to serve till the last breath, the cause that it represents.

Comes the Foundation Day, 18th August. We hear the announcement, "In a first, IIT Kharagpur, the oldest among all IITs, will have a centre exclusively for promotion of human values through meditation, yoga, lectures on spiritualism and character building. To be named after Swami Vivekanand, the centre will aim to combine modern education with development of the personality."

To be named after Swami Vivekanand, the centre will aim to combine modern education with development of the personality - See more at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/soon-iit-kgp-to-boast-of-a-centre-for-promotion-of-human-values/article1-1253591.aspx#sthash.ynBvXP3L.jaN9jFOL.dpuf

Director, IIT Kharagpur's message had been:

Vivekananda is the ideal of the youth. Hence the centre is being named after him to honour him and inculcate his teachings among the youth. There is a need for leadership and human excellence in addition to regular academic curricula,

Dean, Alumni Affairs and Internal Relations, IIT Kharagpur had this to say.

Swami Vivekanand had proposed the right mix of modern education drawn from the best western ideals with the goal of total development of human personality as envisioned by eastern sages. The centre would be a sanctuary for the soul. It will be located in the middle of a lake with a pristine environment. We hope to start construction in a few months and the centre may be complete by the end of next year.

Exciting days ahead! And the other student group (known as TTG here) with whom I have now the privilege to work, are making it even more exciting with the launch of this blog on the Foundation Day (Link).

Through the vision and efforts of its patrons and members, TTG aspires to play its role humbly while IIT Kharagpur reaches greater heights in R & D space and on this auspicious day, TTG dedicates  itself once again at the service of our beloved alma mater.